“It’s Legal, Now What?” A Review of Interdisciplinary Cannabis Training for Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals today are asked to do more with less: less time, fewer resources, and often, less guidance. Now add cannabis to the list. Legal in many states, controversial everywhere, and increasingly present in clinical conversations, cannabis challenges providers to balance curiosity with caution, science with stigma, and patient safety with personal autonomy.
A recent study by Cronin and colleagues, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research (2025), tackles this conundrum head-on with an interprofessional video training program cheekily titled ““It's Legal, Now What? Cannabis Epidemiology, Treatment, and Safety Recommendations” Their central concern is one many of us share:
“An alarming gap in quality of care is developing: healthcare professionals across disciplines lack the knowledge needed to counsel their patients, even as cannabis use rapidly accelerates.”
What the Study Did
The University of Arizona team designed a two-hour interprofessional training spanning four modules:
Public health and epidemiology – prevalence, potency, and product risks.
Clinical considerations – drug–drug interactions, qualifying conditions, FDA-approved cannabinoids.
Person-centered communication – stigma-free dialogue, motivational interviewing, “stoplight” goal-setting.
Team-based scenario – case simulations involving contamination, interactions, and disclosure challenges.
Importantly, the course recruited students from pharmacy, nursing, public health, and medicine, making sure conversations mirrored real-world care teams.
What the Data Showed
The numbers speak volumes. Among 345 trainees:
90% said the training addressed a gap in their role.
83% believed it should be required.
98% felt cannabis risks were comprehensively covered, and 96% said the same about benefits.
95% reported an improved ability to respond to patient questions.
97% learned information directly applicable to their work or communityCronin et al 2025 “It’s legal, ….
One participant summarized it beautifully: “I learned how to balance information with common cannabis claims… although overdose from cannabis may be rare, cannabis use impairs decision-making and motor skills which lead to injury or death. I also learned the concept of supporting patient’s self-directed decision-making.”
Why It Matters
For clinicians, cannabis remains a paradox: simultaneously over-studied in headlines yet under-taught in curricula. As Cronin et al. note, training isn’t about promoting or discouraging use; it’s about equipping providers with tools to have evidence-based, person-centered conversations.
In Sapolsky fashion, one might say: the brain thrives on nuance, yet our policies often demand absolutes. This training model leans into nuance, preparing providers to respond with knowledge instead of silence, and empathy instead of judgment.
Take-Home for Healthcare Professionals
Balanced education works. Covering risks and benefits builds trust and reduces stigma.
Interprofessional dialogue matters. Hearing how a pharmacist, nurse, and public health colleague interpret the same case expands everyone’s clinical lens.
Patients notice. When providers feel competent, patients are more likely to disclose use, reducing risks of interactions and improving outcomes.
Closing Thought
The paper’s conclusion is worth echoing:
“We present our training development process, implementation strategy, and evaluation as an adaptable model for contexts where both recreational and medical use of cannabis are legal.”
In other words, this isn’t just an Arizona experiment — it’s a roadmap. For healthcare institutions grappling with the “now what?” of cannabis legalization, this study suggests an answer: start by training your own.
PRC+ offers training modules and develops high-quality educational programs on cannabis and cannabinoids. Whether your focus is clinical practice, public health, or research, our team can design evidence-based training tailored to your needs. Reach out to us today to create a custom live training, conducted and instructed by our team of experts. prctrials.info@gmail.com